Friday, June 15, 2007

Ascension by Lauren Dane

Kari's simple life is tossed upside down. She's hospitalized after a dog attacks her, her doctor kidnaps her, and now a totally crazy man is telling her that not only is he a werewolf but so is she. And not just any werewolf but the queen!

She soon finds out Andreas is telling the truth. Being a werewolf isn't so bad when your husband stands well over six feet, is hotter than a movie star and richer than one too. It doesn't hurt that he adores and spoils her, and the wicked-hot sex is icing on the cake. What girl doesn't like cake?

But someone in the Cherchez Pack keeps trying to kill her. Kari is happy belonging to a big family for the first time in her life and she's not going to let one wolf with an axe to grind ruin that. Andreas, Kari and the wolves in the Inner Circle unite to end the threat and find the killer. It's kill or be killed and Kari intends to do the killing.

So, I’m not a huge fan of werewolf stories, but I am a huge fan of Lauren Dane. This book didn’t serve to turn me onto werewolf stories any further, but it did cement me as a full-fledged Lauren Dane fangirl. Why didn’t it turn me onto werewolf stories? I just haven’t read any other werewolf books like this one. Hell, if they were all written like this, I would buy them all, but unfortunately they aren’t. At least not the ones I’ve ever read.

What sets this one apart for me? Simple. Lauren Dane. Her voice, her characters. These aren’t "others" who speak in anachronistic voices and live in strange faraway countries – her werewolves sound like regular folks, hold jobs like regular folks, live in the real world like regular folks.

Kari is a kickass, take no prisoners heroine. Andreas is her perfect match. An alpha who adores his woman enough to let her be her own…umm… person (?). She rules that house with an iron fist, and I loved it. But he is no pushover, either. And his dominance really comes out in the bedroom. Uhhh, YUM.

Lauren sent me this book with the hope of guiding me into the paranormal world – the "dark side" as she put it. Well, I like her version of it, and I wouldn’t call it the dark side at all. But, I think I can honestly say it’s because I just love her books. And I’m truly glad that I read it. I will be reading the next in this series for sure.

So I didn’t say much about the book itself plotwise, but it’s one I enjoyed. And y’all know I’m not the paranormal girl most of you are. So, if you’re looking for a book with strong, believable, kickass characters, lots of humor, loads of great sex, and a lot of love, pick up Ascension now. You can get it here.

I have only one negative thing to say about this book, and I mentioned it in my review of A Hunger Like No Other. What’s with all the long hair? All these guys live in the real world and completely mesh in it. Every time I read a paranormal, I’m picturing Fabio, and I just can’t get into that. Is it like a Samson thing? Cut off their hair and they lose their magic powers? Or am I a freak? Does everybody else out there love the long hair?

Argh. I have Dane in ebook format and, despite good intentions to read them on my computer, I keep putting it off....I've got to bite the bullet and get an ereader. LOL Looking forward to reading the titles I have...and adding this one. Although werewolves are not my thing either. LOL

I, as of yet, have never read a Lauren Dane book. I will definately be purchasing this one and many more. Sounds like a must read. I for one love werewolf stories and long hair, depending on the character. Ex: Could not imagine Clint and Cougar (Sarah Mccarty) with any thing else but the long hair. Just my opinion. But I will definately be buying this book.

Hi all, I'm from Malaysia...I read all of the Chase Series and fell in love with the people, the place and Lauren Dane's books in the process. Then I got to Ascension and "wow"...I'll be getting more of her books, thats for sure.

Love her books! I've read three so far ^_^, and I got to tell ya... long hair kind of rules, at least for most of her themes. I mean, who ever heard of a nearly bald wolf? Or a razor cut Dracula? I think you just have to take into account their alter egos, suspend disbelief, and remeber they aren't supposed to be normal, blend-in heroes, their Danes!